Tool-carrier stop



4 Shets-Sheet l wwf-..1

l Sunentor DON/M0 /O/Vrcorffef (Ittornegt D. H. MONTGOMERY Oct. 27, 1953 TOOL- CARRIER STOP Filed Aug. 1. 1947 D. H. MONTGOMERY TOOL- CARRIER STOP 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed AugV l, 1947 attorney Oct 27 1953 D. H. MONTGOMERY A 2,656,753

TOOL- CARRIER STOP Filed Aug. l, 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Gttornegs Patentecl Oct. 27, 1953 TOOL-CARRIER STOP Donald H. Montgomery, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to The New Britain Machine Company, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application August 1, 1947, Serial No. 765,601

12 Claims.

My invention relates to automatic multiplestation machines, and in particular to a cross or forming slide and to a Stop therefor.

In multiple-station automatic machines wherein tools and work are indexed relatively to each other, it is virtually impossible to assure that each tool will perform in exactly the same manner upon work successively presented thereto. In multiple-spindle machines wherein the work is supported in spindles on a spindle carrier,

inaccuracies in the location of spindle axes may result in any one tool producing slightly different cuts upon successive pieces of work. To avoid this difficulty, particularly in the case of cross-slides, stops have been provided whereby the cross-slide may directly abut the spindle carrier and thus determine its own limiting feed position. Unfortunately, however, such construction has not proved to be a solution to the problem, in that chips and other extraneous material may in effect dislocate the homing abutment of the cross-slide, with possible harmful effects on the feed mechanism. Furthermore, as the machine heats up with use or is subjected to different temperature conditions, the expansion of the spindle carrier alone may be sufficient further to distort or to upset calibrated spindle locations-again with the result that any given tool may produce different cuts on successive pieces of work.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide an improved mechanism whereby the above-noted difficulties may be minimized.

It is another object to provide an improved cross-slide mechanism for cooperation with the spindles of a multiple-spindle machine so as to improve the uniformity of product produced by such a machine.

It is also an object to provide an improved cross-slide mechanism to cooperate uniformly with a given spindle, substantially independently of temperature.

It is still another object to provide an improved cross-slide mechanism which will produce substantially uniform cuts on successively indexed work, regardless of inaccuracies in the location of work-supporting parts.

It is still another object to provide improved means for determining a limiting position for a cross-slide feed mechanism, and for adjusting the position of the cross-slide independently of the feed-limiting mechanism for said crossslide.

It is a more specific object to provide safety relief means for the above mechanism, whereby the effectiveness of such mechanisms in producing a uniform product may not be impaired.

It is also a specific object to provide improved feed-limiting means that will derive its feedlimiting functions in the vicinity of the work but which will nevertheless be substantially unaffected by the presence of chips or other extraneous material.

Other objects and various further features of the invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front end view of a multiple-spindle machine incorporating features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partially sectionalized plan view taken substantially in the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1; l

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken in the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View in the plane of 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is another fragmentary sectional view in the plane 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in partial section illustrating a cooperative engagement of parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side View of a modification according to the invention; and

Fig. 8 is an end view of the structure of Fig. 7, partly sectionalized for the plane 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Briefly stated, my invention contemplates an improved mechanism for determining :a number of limiting feed positions of, say, a cross-slide as employed in a multiple-spindle machine. The mechanism includes stop means abuttingly to engage the spindle carrier and thus to limit the feed of the cross-slide. Seal means in the abutment area may eiectively exclude chips, and resilient means may constantly maintain the effectiveness of the seal means. Lost-motion elements of the feed-position limiting mechanism may be located away from the working area, so as to be unaffected by chips. In order to compensate for errors in the relative location of spindle axes, the parts of the spindle carrier which receive abutment by the stop means may be hardened and especially calibrated, as by grinding or honing. In order to compensate for growth of the spindle carrier with temperature, the spindle carrier and the stop means may be of materials having different temperature coeicients of expansion. In the specific form to be described, a calibrated limiting feed relationshp for a particular cross-slide feed mecha- 3 nism may be undisturbed by independent adjustment of the cross-slide with respect thereto, and novel safety-relief mechanisms prevent a destructive overstressing of parts.

Referring to the drawings, my invention is shown in application to a multiple-spindle machine having a plurality of spindles I0, I I, I2, I3, I4, I5 supported in equally spaced relation in a spindle carrier I 6, which in turn is indexibiy supported by the frame II oi the machine. In the form shown, a plurality of tool slides I8 support the side-working or forming tool holders I9 for simultaneous cooperation with work heid inthe various spindles I through I5. The crosseslides I8 may be mounted in batteries of two, that is, in units 20 having ways to guide say the crossslide I8 generally radially of the axis of spindle carrier I6. Each of the batteries 2@ may support one or more slide-actuating cams 2I-22 to be engaged by rollers 23-2'13 of feed rocker varms 25-*26. Each of the feeding arms 25-23 may engage a transversely ext'ending'pin 27 in the crossslide I8 for imparting feeding motion to the tool'carred by the'tool holder I9.

Although the three cross-slide batteries 2E! are shown supporting similar tools Ator generally similar forming operations, it will be understood that in many applications it may not be desirable to employ VVsimilar tools or cross-slides for all stations. The invention needbe described, however, only in connection with one of the crossslides shown.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, calibrated sealed 'stop'm'ans may limit the feed of the cross-slide IB, and this stop means may cooperate dir-ectly with the'A side or with the outer periphery' of the spindle 'carrier IB. In the form shown, the stop means includes a stopt member 28 s'lidable between the frame IVI-and the crossslide I8 in ways or guides which inlay/be defined bya shoulder@ inthe cross-slide IB -and by an extended dovetail member `3i) forming part of the guiding v'mechanism 'for the Vcross-slide I8. The stop member 28 is preferably slidable generally radi-ally ofy the spindle carrier, in the same sense as the sliding actionof the cross-slide I8 which that stop mein-ber 28 serves. In'the form shown, r`the stop member 2'8 extends into direct engagement at one end with the spindle carrier I6, and the abutment pin 21 also engages the stop member 28.` "It will be clear that when the stopmemb'er 28 is forcedby pin -121 into strong abutment with the spindle carrier I6, further actuation by the feed rocker arm 25 may beineective further to advance the tool supported by thetool holder I9. vA limitingfee'd position isv thusv determined.

As indicated generally above, I prefer to proteet the spindle carrier I6 against peening or other harmful effects resulting `from repeated overstressing abutme'nts, as produced by stop member 2B. Those areas on the spindle carrier I6 which receive Isuch abutments may be reinforced by suitable inserts vor plugs `of hardened material, or, as in the preferred'form shown, the periphery of the spindle carrier I6 may be suitably heat treated inthe abutment areas to withstand repeated abutment. These hardened areas are schematically designated by special shading, as at 3l, in Fig. eV and by dotted lines in Fig. l. It will be understood that localized heating, as by a flame, followed by arapid quench may produce hardened areas which-'may adequately serve to receive the abutment by a stop member 28.

In order that abutment areas such as thearea 4 3| may properly locate limiting cross-slide feed positions to compensate for spindle-center inaccuracies, these areas 3I may be specially honed, ground, or otherwise calibrated in the process of building the machine. It will be understood then that the abutment area 3I may provide a calibrated limiting feed abutment Vfor properly locating the tool supported by tool holder I9 in its cooperation with the spindle I0. For the next indexed position of the spindle carrier I6, that is,

say, when the work in spindle II is in position to be formed by cross-slide I8, the stop member 28 will be limited not by the abutment area 3| but by the vabutment, area 32, which will have been specially honed to provide the proper calibration to compensate for'possible inaccuracies in the location of `the center of spindle I I. In cooperating with the remaining spindles, the limiting feed of tool'holder I9 will be understood to be determined in each instance by a specially calibrated abutment.

It Will also be understood that just as all feedpositions of the toolholder I9 may be properly limited,'so may the feed positions of all other forming-tool holders '33, 34, etc. be' appropriately limited. Forthe arrangement shown, therefore, as many as l2 calibrated abutment areas on spindle I6 may be necessary.

In the described manner, assurance may be had that'under no circumstances will cuts loe deeper than thosefor which the tool holders are adjusted. It may be, however, that in thus assuring a limiting advance of the tool holder' I9, the stop member v28 or the pin 2'I'or other parts may be overstressed. To'prevent such overstressing, I have provided safety-relief means which'may be employed independently with each of the cross-slides I8.

Inthe form shown in Figs. 2 and`3, the safetyrelief mechanismisrincorporated into the abutment pin'2 1, which 'is engaged by the feed rocker arm 25 and which abuts the stopr member 28. To provide forsafety 'relief the portion 35101? pin '2 which abuts the stop member 28 may be formed Witha ca'm surface, so that toofgreat resistance offered by the 'stop member 28 may result-in a retracting axial'sliding displacement of pin 21. To resist such retracting displacement a resiliently urgedfpin'36 may ride in a circumferential groove 31 in pin 27, and there may be a camming engagement betweenthepin 36 and the wallsof the groove l31. Aspring nger 38 may'serve resilientlyto y'h'old'the pin 36 Within the groove 31. It Willbe clear that depending uponthe steepness of Icarnming engagements between groove r3'! and pin 36, and between the pin end 35 and stop member 28, the safety mechanism will yield for various abutment'forces on' member 28.

Inman'y applications, it desirable to provide relatively fine positioning adjustment `of 'the cross-slide I8 with respect to the feed rocker arm 25 VandV withrespect to the stop member 28, `and it' may be desirable to'ei'ect 'such adjustment independently of the cooperative positioning of stop member V28 with'respect to feedro'cker arm 25. In a coarse sense, "such adjustment'rnay be effected by advancing orretracting the tool holder' I9 withrespect to the crossislide I3, as by suitable adjustment of ascrew, However, for une adjustment I prefer to incorporate an additional feature into the construction of the abutment pin 21.

In the form shown, the above-noted iine adjustment may be effected by forming the pin 2'1V with an eccentric generally cylindrical surface 40 to engage the feed rocker arm 25 and by forming the cam surface 35 eccentrically. Thus, the cam surface 35 may be frusto-conical about an axis eccentric to the axis of pin 21. Preferably, the eccentricity of surface 28 is of the same sense and throw as that of the surface 35.

It will be recalled that I prefer that the fine adjustment effected by a partial rotation of the abutment pin 21 shall displace the cross-slide I8 without affecting the calibrated cooperation between the feed rocker arm 25 and the stop member 28, To assure suchcoordination of parts `25---28 for all settings of the eccentric surfaces -40, I prefer that the surface 4I on stop member 28 and the surface 42 on the feed rocker arm 25 be inclined with the same slope and that this slope be generally parallel to the inclination of the final feed axis 43 of the actuating arm 25.

In order to hold an adjusted eccentric position for the eccentric surfaces 35-40 on pin 21, suitable locking means may be provided, preferably accessible from the front face of the cross-slide I8. In the form shown, an externally threaded sleeve 44 is keyed to the pin 21 as at 45, and a lock nut 46 threadedly engages the sleeve 44 and may be secured against the forward face of the cross-slide I8. A knurled adjustment knob 41 on the outer end of the pin 21 serves for the angular adjustment of pin 21, and, if desired, an indicator pin 48 may cooperate with suitable markings on the face of knob 41 to indicate the extent of eccentric adjustment of pin 21. It will be clear that by means of extended key slots for the key means 45 full axial freedom may be per-- mitted to the abutment pin 21 so as not to impair its functioning as a safety device in the manner above described.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, I provide means for assuring that my novel abutment mechanism may be effective regardless of the chips or other extraneous matter that may accumulate in the Working area. To assure such uniform functioningthe forward or projecting end of the stop member 28 may be jacketed as by a sleeve 50 of resilient material, such as neoprene, embracing the end of the stop member 28. The sleeve 58 may be held in place by a peripheral band or strip 5I secured by screws 52. The sleeve 58 preferably projects slightly beyond the abutment end of member 28, and such projection may clearly provide a protective peripherally extending skirt for said end.

In order further to assure that chips or other material may not enter the abutment area, means may normally hold the seal means 50 in vcontact with the spindle carrier IE. In the form shown, such resilient means is a plug 53 which may be of rubber-like material (e. g. neoprene) cooperating between the frame I1 and the stop member 28 to maintain constant scraping contact of sleeve 50 with the spindle 4carrier I6. If desired, washers 54-55 may be placed between the resilient element 53 and frame I1 on the one hand and between resilient element 53 and member 28 on the other hand, as by bonding washers 54-55 to the resilient block 53 in a unit sandwich construction. It will be understood that the sandwich 54-53--55 will normally be under a squeezed preload, so as to provide a normal resilient force, reacting between the frame I1 and stop member 28 to urge the latter 4against spindle carrier I6; the preloaded condition of the sandwich 54--53--55 is suggested by clearances 54T-55' between members I1-28.

`It will be clear that the function of resilient means 53 is to assure constant contact of the protective skirt or seal means 58 with the surface of spindle carrier I6. The force exerted by resilient means 53 is, however, preferably not enough of itself to force abutment member 28 into contact with the spindle carrier. The stop member will thus normally be positioned in slight clearance relation with respect to the spindle carrier, even though resilient means 53 urges member 28 toward the spindle carrier. Only when a limiting feed position is to be determined will the feed mechanism be able to force member 28 into abutment with the spindle carrier. Upon indexing, it will be appreciated that the skirt 50 may retain its contact with the spindle carrier, so as to scrape chips and the like away from the next succeeding calibrated abutment area.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I show an alternative preferred form of the invention wherein safety means are again incorporated into the feed-position-limiting mechanism. Again, a transversely extending abutment pin 55 may be journalled, as at 53--51, in a cross-slide 58, and eccentric surfaces 59-60 may serve to receive feed actuation from an arm 6I and to receive limiting abutment from an abutment member 62-similar to the arm 25 and stop member 28 of the first-described embodiment. As distinguished from this first embodiment, the arrangement of Figs. 7 and 8 provides for the shearing of a weak link upon attainment of excessive abutment forces. In the form shown, the weak link is a shear pin 63 carried by the forward end of abutment pin 55, and the shear pin 63 serves normally to engage a sleeve B4 to the abutment pin 55. The sleeve 64 may be a part of the cross-slide 58, or for purposes of greater flexibility of adjustment, the sleeve 54 may be incorporated in an adjustment mechanism. In the adjustable arrangement shown, the sleeve 64 is formed with an enlarged head 65 to be engaged by a further sleeve 68, and the latter sleeve 55) is threadedly engaged to the cross-slide 58. The sleeve 66 may be formed with Spanner engaging recesses 61 to provide for axial adjustment of sleeve 65 and, hence, of pin assembly 55.

In order to provide angular adjustment of the abutment pin 55, that is, adjustment of the throw of eccentric surfaces Sil-68, an adjustment arm B8 may be pinned or otherwise secured to the forward end of the abutment pin 55. Adjusted angular positions, as determined by the setting of arm 68, may be retained or held by a ratchet mechanism including longitudinally extending ratchet teeth 69 to be engaged by a pawl 10, as resiliently urged by a spring 1I. It will be clear that in addition to the function of retaining an angular set of the arm 88 and, hence, of the pin 55, the ratchet means SiS-1U may permit a longitudinal sliding of the abutment pin 55, as when the abutment presented by member 62 offers too great resistance. The limit of such resistance is determined by the strength of shear pin 63, and when the pin 63 fails, it will be understood that the abutment-pin assembly 55 may be displaced bodily to the right (in the sense of Fig. 8)-i. e. in the direction of lessening engagement with the abutment member62.

The temptation may be great, after an unexpected failure of pin 63, to take up the spanner means 61 so as to force the head 55 of sleeve 64 into abutting relation with the journal 51 of pin 55. Such adjustment of the Spanner means 61 would clearly defeat the purpose of using a shear'fpin 3,i'-so1that. there would :no longer 'bemechanisms Vfor automatically assuring .'calihratedilimiting.feedpositions for one or for -a plurality of cross-slides, as for use on amultiple-spindle machine. My feed-position-limiting means correctvely anticipates inaccuracies in spindle .location and at the same time allows for errors which would otherwise result from temperature expansion of materials. Safety means are provided to assure longer life for .my position limiting means 'and to assure greateruniformityof product. The invention is such that it may be applied with relative ease to existing machines.

While I have described my invention in detailfor the-preferred forms shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the Iscope of lthe invention as donned in the appended claims.

.I claim.: a

-1. In a .machine of the character indicated, indexible means, a slide .for cooperation with work atV successive -stations of said indexible means, cam-actuated means for actuating said s1ide,.adjustable means between said cam-actuated means and saidslide, and stop means engageable with said adjustable means and including a portion to abut said indexible means, whereby upon abutment of said indexi-ble means by :said stop means a limiting feed position may be determined for said slide in accordance with the adjustment of said adjustable'means, Awithout vdisturbing the relationship between said cam-actuated means and said stop means.

2. As an article of manufacture, a cross-slide including `a. transversely extending pin withY eccentric means to receive feed actuation for said cross-slide, whereby upon .angular adjustment of said pin there ymay bea corresponding adjustmentbetween a feed means and said cross-slide, saidpinincluding an eccentric abutment portion to be limited by a relatively xed abutment, whereby an vangular adjustment of said eccentric means may also eect an adjustment of the limitingfeed position of sai-d cross-slid'e.

As an article oaf-manufacture, .a cross-slide including apin journalled on an axis. generally transversely of the sliding axis of said crossslde, an eccentric generally cylindrical surface on said pin to engage a-feed-actuatingmember for said cross-slide an eccentric generally conical .surface on said pin to engage a position-limitingabutment.

r1l. As :an article of manufacture, across-slide includinga pin journalled .in the body of said cross-slide, fand eccentric means on said pin to be engaged by a cross-slide feed actuator and to engage a feed-positionlrniting stop,;the lpart of said eccentrio'means which is to engagesaidstop beinggenerally conical about an axis oilsetfrom the axis osaidpin,V adjustable meansfor angularly positioning said `pin with respect to the body of said `cross-slide, Asaid pin` beingv axially sli'dable fwitn. respect to said adjustablefmeans, andresilient means 'engaging sa-id pin tolresist suchsaax'ial sliding motion, :whereby said resilient means mayiyieldablyprotect-sai-d pin ad'said stop member..

#5.2111 amachine of the character indicated, a cross-slide to be -s1idably mounted vgenerally transversely'lofaan indexible-.means, a generally transverselysrslidable 'stop .member for abutment withlthe inflexible means, seal 4means carried by saidrsbop: member vandperiph-orally Vskirting :the abutment wendY off said member andv extending for engagement with the indexible'means when the abutment endof said member .is `relieved from the. indexibl-e means, `means on said crosssslide toengagesaid stop member,and means resil* :ientlyy urging said seal means toward-theindex` iblenmeans :for constant vcontact with the indexible means. l

"6. :Inl afina-chine ofthe vcharacter-V indicated, a frame.' indexible means l supported insaidy frame, aslide having a sliding action generally .toward saidrindexible means, a movable stop member Supportedrbetween'said frame and said slide for abutment with said index-ible means, means on said 'slide toy engage said stop member, andresilient means betweensaid frame and said stop mem-ber urging said stop member A for l contact with said indexible Jmeans, whereby said stop member may be` resiliently maintained in contact with said indexible meanseregardless of the :feed cycle of saidslide.

f7. As an article of manufacture, a cross-slide for amaohinefof the character indicated, said cross-slide including a displaceable stopvmember to' be limited by an=-abutment with a` Spindle carrier, and lyieldable abutment means carried by said cross-slide and yieldably liamiting said stop -member with `respect to said-cross-slide, whereby upon-too great stressing of said stop member said yieldable means may yieldtol avoid possible'destructivebinding between said crossslide and said stop memben .8. In a cross-slide :for a machine oi` thecharacter indicated, a displaceable stop mem-bertobe limitedeby an abutment with a spindle carrier., saidfstopzmember 'being displaceable in substantially thefsarne predominant direction-'as thedirectionof movement of said cross-slide, atransvers/ely movable member carriedby said cross` slide and including a cam coasting Withsaid stop meinbei',-.anda sheara-ble connection lbetween said transversely .movable kmember and said crosssli-de, whereby upon an overstressing of said stop member .saidshearableconnectionmay fail and thusv permit a' .harmless sliding of said lstop vmember and .sa'rd cross-slide relatively to eachother..

`9.. As an articleotmanufacture, aY cross-slide includinga transversely- -extending abutment, pin having a foarnming portion to engage stop means, a-sleeve :slidablewith respect tosaid pin, ashearable connection between Isaidrslei-zve andsaid abutment: pin,.and. means for ladjustably positioning said sleeve with respectv to said crosseslide. .10,.Ina machine of the-character .indicated-a spindle ca-rrierhavingaf continuous. circumferentia-ily extending surface, a plurality` of spindles in said spindle carrier, cross-:slide means incl-udingfa partalignedlto abut said surface, said part 'being movablyfguided generally transverselyof-saifd carrieri and l independently of crosseslide movement, means continuously urging saidpart toward said spindle carrier, and a locally hardened'abutment area on'saijdsurface adjacent one ofsaid spindles to receive abutment by said Vpart of the cross-slide',

9 whereby a calibrated limiting feed position may be determined for a tool carried by the cross-slide for particular cooperation With said one spindle.

11. As an article of manufacture, a crossslide including a pin journalled in the body of said cross-slide, a generally conically formed portion on said pin for transverse limiting abutment With a stop, said pin being axially slidable, and means for resisting axial movement of said pin, whereby an excessive engagement of said pin with the abutment may produce an axial displacement of said pin, thereby relieving the cooperating parts from excessive strain.

12. As an article of manufacture, a cross-slide having means for guiding the same in a predominant direction of movement and including an axially slidable pin guided in the body of said cross-slide and generally transverse to said predominant direction, a generally eonically formed portion on said pin for transverse limiting abut- 19 ment with a stop, and means yieldably cooperating between said pin and the body of said crossslide to yieldably resist axial displacement of said pin.

DONALD H. MONTGOMERY.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,069,750 Williams et al Aug. 12, 1913 1,224,714 Cone May 1, 1917 1,604,204 Tessky Oct. 26, 1926 1,709,118 Class Apr, 16, 1929 1,729,863 Biewend et al. Oct. l, 1929 1,869,114 Phelps July 26, 1932 2,001,586 Rupple May 14, 1935 2,142,557 Cone Jan. 3, 1939 2,325,571 Montgomery July 27, 1943 2,404,210 Bechler July 16, 1946 

